December 2017 - trackschoolbus

Road Safety Awareness: Why is it Essential for School Kids

Posted on December 28, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

“A child who learns about traffic rules and road discipline will grow up to be a law-abiding citizen. The habit of obeying traffic rules teaches a person a sense of responsibility, empathy for others and respecting the other person’s rights,” – The Hindu

Children become the lamentable victims in road accidents due to lack of awareness. Hence, educating the children can be a crucial task since it is dealt with ensuring the safety of future generation.

In fact, the question is how to educate them? When you schedule awareness classes for children, ensure that it is coherent and specific. By rendering awareness, you will obtain a responsible future generation, who prioritize road safety above all.

Road Safety for School Kids

Nevertheless, it is never early to educate your children regarding road safety rules and thus usher them to be “street smart”.

Transform learning into a fun activity

First and foremost, for teaching the children efficiently, learning should be made an amusing and interactive activity. Why? Strangely enough, children will be distracted swiftly without a specific reason and will be engaged in their own world. Let’s check out certain techniques by which you can retrieve their attention:

Generate a map encompassing your child’s walking route, street names, and relevant landmarks
Conduct quiz whenever you stroll out with your child. Inquire the rules related to crosswalks and intersection and assist the kids to decipher the relevance of road signals
Arrange a game that motivates the child to follow your footsteps

Provide a demonstration to your kid

Here follows certain basic safety tips that will become worthwhile to you:

The rules to be followed while walking on the road

Comply the rule “left-right-left” before crossing the road. Maintain eye contact with drivers and ensure that no vehicle is close-by
Remove your headphone and listen. By listening, you will be able to realize whether a vehicle is approaching you or not
Stroll at the inside edge of the sidewalk, which is away from the road. If sidewalk

doesn’t exist in that road, walk in the direction of oncoming traffic in such a way that you can have a clear view of the vehicles approaching you

Remain visible. Clothe yourself with reflective materials or bright clothes. Utilize flashlights or stay under street lights after dark
Never practice jaywalking

The rules to be followed while driving your vehicle

Control your vehicle speed. Realize that 30km/h speed is permitted during school hours and remain vigilant since your kid is observing all your deeds
Have ample patience. Drop your child near the sidewalk. Never allow them to dash from the middle of the road
Adhere to the safety laws. Have a consideration for other road users and school buses, especially when the lights are flashing

Relevance of Road Safety Awareness

Consequently, the rising city traffic and rural areas of the country has evidently increased the relevance of road safety education. Moreover, the road safety programs require the constant participation from students, and only with their participation, the road safety education become successful.

Meanwhile, the road safety education intends to provide awareness and impart education regarding the traffic rules to students. In addition, it is your responsibility to compel them to follow rules both as pedestrian and motorists. Furthermore, you can teach them to promptly contact the relevant authorities such as medical or transport aid, especially during adverse circumstances.

In the meantime, road safety awareness is a team responsibility of students, teacher, school authorities, and parents. At the same time, each of them has had a unique role in rendering the safety awareness to students. As a parent and teacher, you should serve as a paradigm of the “ideal road user” to the students.

Thus, for instance,

While crossing the bustled streets, you should compulsorily hold the hands of your kids and forbid them running or walking ahead
Teach them to be aware of the ideal time to safely cross the road
Insist them to stay beside you, away from the road traffic
Emphasize the essential safety tips, which enable children to remain attentive on the road while crossing the busy roads
Advise them to choose the apt and safe place to cross the road
Provide a brief awareness of various road signs and motivate them to decide the right time to cross the road
Recount the essential safety rules in simple terms

Ask the following questions to your kid:

Where is the safest place to cross the road?
Before crossing the road, what is the mandatory activity that should be committed?
Is there a need for holding hands while crossing the road together?
Which is the excellent time to cross the road safely?
At what juncture, should you listen to vehicle sounds?

Presumably, while crossing the road, it is wise to construe each activity performed by you to your kids. Therefore, kid will recognize the significance of each safety rule.

What are the Common School Bus Traffic Stop Laws

Posted on December 26, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

School bus traffic laws are constituted for ensuring the safety of your kid. As a consequence, the student safety is the responsibility of every citizen. With the assistance of traffic stop laws, you will be able to ascertain the precaution you should follow as a motorist or road user for enhanced safety.

As per the law, every road user should remain patient and await for the stopped school bus to load or unload students, in such a way that students can alight or board safely. Require details regarding the school bus traffic stop laws? Let's check it out.

School Bus Stop Laws

Ordinarily, different states have different school bus stop laws. At the same time, every state demands the other drivers to wait until the school bus driver safely boards and alight students. Furthermore, if a stopped bus show flashing red lights, the vehicle in the opposite direction and the overtaking vehicle should calmly wait until the red light is off. Meanwhile, school crossing guards, school bus drivers, and traffic police have the authority to wave traffic on, even when the traffic light is flashing.

Of course, violations can cause hefty penalties such as amends, obtaining demerit points against the driver's license, and the suspension of the driver's license. On the other hand, it is essential for an officer to witness the violation, otherwise the violation will be annulled due to lack of evidence. Moreover, modern school buses are installed with cameras that promptly detect the illegal passing of vehicles.

Safety tips for drivers from the Traffic State Administration

When you back out of a driveway or leave a garage, ensure that there is no child walking or bicycling to school
Be vigilant once you approach the areas near school zones as students will bustle out unexpectedly (a student's only motive is to reach the school on time)
Slow down your vehicle as the children will hike negligently, and be extra cautious to the roads without the sidewalks
Children who become late will never heed traffic and hence, you should be alert enough to evade accidents or injuries
Yellow flashing lights indicate that the school bus is preparing to stop for loading or unloading children
Red flashing lights with the stop arm warn motorists to wait patiently and should move only after red lights are turned off

Safety tips for children from the Traffic State Administration

Reach the bus stop prior to the scheduled arrival time of a school bus
Stand at least 6 feet away from the curb and form a queue away from the road
Wait for the school bus to stop, open the doors, and gain approval from drivers that it is safe to board the school bus
If there is a requirement to cross the road, slowly move to the sidewalk, or walk along the side of the road in such a way that you are 10 feet ahead of the bus. Also, ensure bus drivers noticed you while you cross the road and receive appropriate guidance
Utilize handrails while boarding or alighting the school bus. In addition, be careful that your cloth is not having any draw strings or bag with straps that will have a chance to hang on the school bus doors
Never attempt to walk, move, or stand behind the school bus
Stand at least 3 giant steps away from the side of the bus
Provide adequate warning to drivers whenever you drop anything near the bus as they will not be able to easily notice you

Safety tips for parents and teachers from the Traffic State Administration

Parents should educate the above practices to augment the safety of school transportation
Teachers are responsible to teach children about safety rules for bicycling, walking, or riding a vehicle
Recommend safety resources to children in obtaining details regarding school bus safety

Usual queries of people regarding school bus traffic laws

1. Is it possible to turn in front of a school bus?

Every motorist must consider the school bus loading and unloading students. Nevertheless, it is lawful to turn away from a stopped school bus with lights flashing, it is extremely hazardous as there is an increased chance for students to jump in front of your vehicle unexpectedly.

2. What are the rules to be followed while stopping the school bus?

Ensure that your vehicle is in a stopped condition when the red lights on the school bus are flashing or the stop-arm is extended, especially, when your vehicle approach the school bus from the converse direction with minimum two lanes in each direction. Meanwhile, you are not supposed to overtake a school bus when its red or amber warning lights are glimmering.

3. Is there any need of stopping for the school bus on a divided highway?

No, you are not required to stop your vehicle for the school bus with red lights flashing, especially when you are travelling in the opposite direction or the roadway, have several traffic lanes in it, and is separated by a median or solid barrier.

4. What is the nature of penalty for passing a stopped school bus illegally?

As per the Law, when a vehicle illegally passes the stopped school bus, the person who is driving the vehicle will be suspended for 90 days for the first offense, and one year for the second offense, if the offense occurs within a period of five years.

5. Is there any penalty for passing a stopped school bus?

Yes, there is a penalty for overtaking a stopped school bus. However, it intends to vary from one state to another. For instance, usual punishments include a penalty ranging from $100 to $1000, taking away certain points from the license (varies from one state to another), seize the convict for a few months imprisonment, and a few months suspension of the driving license.

6. Can you pass a school bus with yellow flashing lights?

Yellow flashing light is a warning that indicates drivers is preparing to stop the school bus. Consequently, it is wise to stay cautious and be prepared to stop your vehicle.

As a matter of fact, students, teachers, parents, and traffic personnel are equally responsible for ensuring student safety on or around the school bus. Incidentally, rules are formed for the welfare of the society. Accordingly, school bus traffic stop laws are evidently created for the safety of students in the school bus. Therefore, as a responsible citizen, it is your duty to comply those rules and teach your kids regarding the importance of those rules.

10 Essential Facts on Road Safety [Infographic]

Posted on December 22, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Road accident and injury will be an immense threat to road users, especially children. Hence, as a responsible citizen, it is your responsibility to safeguard the future generation and focus on the safety practices. Nevertheless, the number of vehicles on the road is rising day by day frantically.

The only precaution against it is to implement the modern technology and adhere to the safety rules. However, it is a fact that majority of the victims of road related hazards are the two-wheeler users. Over speeding, imperfect roads, and violation of safety rules are the dominant reasons for hazards.

Meanwhile, the road safety is a shared responsibility and you need to have a commitment and decision making skills to accomplish the safety goals. As a matter of fact, one can predict road traffic crashes and can take precautions before it happens.

Check out the 10 essential facts on road safety and be prepared for the adverse circumstances:

How School Bus Routing Software Enhance School Transportation

Posted on December 21, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Every school aims to provide an efficient school transportation for students. And its success depends on routing. Effective cost management and proper benchmarking policies assist you to determine how well your school bus fleet operates. There is a multitude of factors that lead to the success of school transport services. Need details regarding it?

Let's check out the essentials required for efficient school bus fleet management:

1. Precision in Fleet Data

In order to operate school bus fleets efficiently, you should obtain accurate fleet data. The reason for this is, all the crucial decisions are taken on the basis of this fleet data. Hence, fleet data should be proper and precise. With the support of a school bus tracking software, you will be able to accomplish the tasks without compromising precision level.

2. Proper Organization of Fleets

Fleet operations would be impeccable, if there is proper planning and coordination among personnel and the tasks assigned to them. For effective fleet management, transport managers should be able to organize the school bus fleets correspondingly.

Role of School Bus Routing Software and GPS School Bus Tracking System

With the assistance of a school bus routing software, you can choose the apt and efficient route for your trip, obtain the precise fleet data and thus manage school bus fleets smoothly. Also, with the route optimization feature, you will be able to determine the exact location of a school bus in real time without further delay.

A school bus GPS tracking system is a valuable tool for school transport managers. They can track the school bus location and receive instant alerts whenever there is an emergency.

Strengths and weaknesses of school bus routing software

By recognizing the strengths and weaknesses, you will be able to enhance student safety, school bus route optimization, and budget of the school. Here are certain benefits or strengths of a school bus routing software:

Effective management of drivers

Providing satisfactory working condition is an excellent solution to reduce the employee loss. And a school bus routing software can aid you with that. Here follows certain procedures by which the schools should follow, especially when working with drivers are:

Attribute adequate training regarding the usage of routing software
Render up-to-date routing details
Save money

Of course, fuel costs should be actively considered by the school transportation authorities, especially when you aim for a profitable business. There are two ways to save money on fuel costs:

Negotiating prices with the usual fuel dealer to provide some discount
Install a school routing software and a GPS school bus tracking system to identify the optimized route for your trip that saves time and money

Out of the two above mentioned methods, the second one is practical. This is because modern trackers will be able to realize if there is a diversion from the assigned routes and thereby, evade unnecessary wastage of fuel. Route optimization feature can also be handy in saving money on fuel costs.

Provide reliable school transportation services

School management can enhance its transportation budget by saving on fuel costs and driver costs via a tracking system. For benchmarking the success of the school transportation, you can consider the following data for comparing with others:

You can identify the weakness of school bus routing by answering the following queries:

Average age of school buses
Period of usage
Average riding time of student on each day

When all the above details are carefully analyzed, you will be able to identify the strengths as well as weakness of school bus routing. Based on the strengths and weaknesses, you can identify the areas where you can augment the school transportation. Hence, school bus routing software is indeed a boon to school bus fleet management.

12 School Bus Behaviour Management Strategies

Posted on December 18, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

“Tolerating bad behavior is the same as training defiance and rebellion in the heart of your child”- Matthew L Jacobson

Certainly, school bus is the one of the preferred means of transporting students to and from school. Is there a specific code of conduct for students on the school bus? Who is responsible for maintaining school bus discipline? Managing student behavior is never an impossible matter.

Of course, you should certainly appreciate bus drivers for maintaining a steady safety record. And you can imagine how strenuous is to handle a school bus full of impish students. Nevertheless, you can not control school bus students via a rear view mirror alone. Moreover, two concerns should be essentially considered above everything.

Firstly, you should recognize the fact that the school bus is the extension of classroom. Secondly, as there are no other school authorities inside the bus, you should be responsible for discipline and maintain a positive relationship with them. And, never concentrate on punishments alone.

Here follows certain strategies for managing school bus behavior effectively:

Appoint school bus helpers

Choosing elder students as school bus helpers can be a wise decision. School authorities can render proper training to them for becoming an efficient peer bus helper. Afterward, you can select the apt students for this purpose. Provide proper guidance on fulfilling the peer bus role efficiently such as having a genial conversation with their peers, settling student disputes wisely, and providing adequate assistance to bus drivers (supporting bus drivers during drills) whenever required.

Assign seats for misbehaving students

Assigning seats for misbehaving students near the school bus driver is a perfect intention. By monitoring students under close observation, your task becomes simple. For this reason, students will realize that sitting where they choose is a privilege that should be earned. If possible, provide warning to the students when they display unruly behavior, they will be made to sit near you. This can be a ingenious step, as students panic and exhibit proper discipline inside the school bus.

Assign seats for entire students

This strategy assists you to learn the student names effortlessly and swiftly, control the behavior of students, and commit student seating as a routine procedure. Pursue the seating arrangement throughout the year as students exhibit positive behavior at the beginning of an academic year and gradually reveals their fraudulent behavior. If you grant permission to them to sit as they desire, you will certainly encounter behavioral issues.

Allow school bus authorities to conduct surprise bus checks

When authorities such as school principal, classroom teachers, and school officers conduct surprise checks while loading and unloading students, students will behave appropriately thereafter. Also, it emphasizes the fact that school bus drivers have the authority to provide punishments for violence of school bus discipline and should be obeyed and respected as other authorities.

Organize reward system for proper school bus behavior

You will be able to discover a noteworthy transition in the student's behavior, once they realize that there is a chance of winning or losing rewards based on their school bus behavior.

Organize an awareness class for informing students regarding the consequences of exhibiting misbehavior on school bus such as a reduction in the individual points, loss of privileges, etc. and on the contrary, rewards for exhibiting appropriate school bus behavior includes winning a coupon for the school store, canteen, etc. Consequently, you will be able to maintain satisfactory behavior among school bus students.

Remind students on serious interventions for misbehavior

It is wiser to constantly remind students regarding the interventions based on the seriousness of their misbehavior. Accordingly, you can classify misbehavior in 3 kinds:

In the first case, the usage of offensive language among their fellows. The student is supposed to attend a meeting with either the class teacher or principal.
In the second case, a school bus student should have witnessed to hang their hand or head outside the window or discovered to be bullying another. The case requires a meeting between parent, student, and principal.
In the third case, a student is seen to be entering a physical fight with his or her peers or ruining the school bus. For this purpose, they are either temporarily dismissed from the extracurricular activities or pay restitution for the damaged property.

Hence, the incidents of misbehavior should be reported to parents at the right time.

Encourage a positive school bus environment

Ordinarily, it was found that drivers who establish a positive relationship with students are able to have obedient students than the drivers who grant constant rebukes and punishments. Certain positive interactions include greeting students with their name (as it creates a feeling of being considered), a thumbs-up sign, and praising students in front of their parents for exhibiting acceptable behavior on the school bus.

Determine the minimum time period owed for misbehavior

You can determine a minimum time period that you owe for misbehavior (pull over time) and if it exceeds the permitted time, say 5 minutes, you can warn students and proceed appropriate action. Furthermore, if you constantly allow a minimum time period or utilize pull over technique, then you should report the issue to the relevant authorities.

Organize bus safety classes for misbehaving students

Sending misbehaving students to bus safety classes can be a brilliant solution. It is desirable to organize classes for 30 minutes- 1 hour duration. Meanwhile, the classes will be made simple by using student role-play, demonstration, and adult modeling. Schedule the safety classes in such a way that he/she misses their favourite hours (after school, sports practice, free time, etc.) so that he experiences “natural disappointments” due to his/her mischief.

Arrange separate seats for older and younger students

Presumably, by seating older and younger students separately, you will be able to prevent unnecessary bullying. When you arrange seats as per the grade, you can avoid the bullying situations.

Create a school bus behavior contract

In fact, by generating the contract and compelling the students to sign it, instill a sense of responsibility in the riders. However, it is an effective approach to teach and review positive school bus behavior in students. But the number of rules should not exceed 6 and the rules should be stated in a coherent language.

Presumably, you can add the fact that school bus transportation is a privilege and not a right for students. In addition, you can organize a meeting to discuss regarding the contract and parents can provide suggestions on the rules, and ultimately, they will ascertain the importance of appropriate school bus behavior via this meeting.

Teach proper school bus behavior

At the beginning of every academic year, students should receive an awareness class regarding school bus safety rules. If possible, show them a demonstration regarding it in the school assembly. Else, you can train elder students on positive school bus behavior and thereby, demonstrate it to his fellow passengers.

Of course, maintaining discipline inside the school bus is one of the challenging issues for school bus drivers. Arguably, proper guidance and supervision for students regarding school bus discipline is the tablet of success. However, the above strategies are essential for maintaining appropriate school bus discipline among students.

“Respect self, Respect others, and Respect property”

101 Reasons to Choose TrackSchoolBus

Posted on December 14, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Trackschoolbus is one of the leading ventures by Edsys and provider of school educational system. Consequently, with this venture, you will be able to address school bus safety issues related to parents and school authorities. Moreover, by using the Trackschoolbus apps, you can manage various safety issues in regard to school transportation and ensure a safe school bus journey to and from school.

Here follows the reasons why Trackschoolbus is the best choice for you. Lets' check it out:

1. Provide real-time data regarding the school bus location by using RFID and GPS technology

2. Obtain instant alerts through SMS, Android push notifications, iOS notifications, etc.

3. Analyze the school bus driver performance using trackers

4. Parents are notified regarding the school bus delays, unscheduled bus stops, over speeding, emergencies, etc.

5. Attain reports on travel speed, distance, travel history, etc.

6. Save energy and time by efficient utilization of the route management feature, and bus stop scheduling

7. Effective management of school bus fleets

8. Recognise better and efficient routes via driver console

9. Reduce fuel consumption of the school bus by avoiding unnecessary trips

10. Sort issues such as bus breakdowns, student issues inside the school bus, respond to emergencies, etc. quickly

11. Create a superior, economical, and safer school bus trip for the students

12. Manage students, parents, and school transportation authorities together

13. Handle safety concerns easily via school bus tracking software

14. Perceive travel history of the school bus via the tracking apps

15. Enable parents as well as school authorities to ensure whether a school bus child reached home safely or not

16. Monitor the school bus speed

17. Check out the time duration at each bus stops

18. Track issues such as traffic jams, natural mishaps, school bus breakdowns, etc.

19. Avoid unnecessary fuel wastage due to excessive vehicle idling, inappropriate routes, etc.

20. Easy route planning

21. Locate your child via GPS trackers and RFID tags

22. Re-routing and Rescheduling facility

23. School authorities can monitor school bus even though it is on the road

24. Supervise the activities of each school bus and estimate the working hours of a school bus driver

25. Highly accurate and error-free records

26. No issue of being lost in the school bus trip

27. Reduced expense as GPS is cost-effective

28. Take school bus attendance accurately

29. Provide real-time notifications whenever the child boards or descend from the bus

30. Powerful and durable due to the utilization of industry standard materials in casing the components and PCBs

31. Devoid of quality issues as we do not use China made devices

32. Easy installation (as it is a single piece of hardware) and maintenance (high quality hardware that requires minimum maintenance)

33. Compatible with different vehicle types

34. Portable design as its compact dimension of devices make sure that devices occupy minimal space only

35. Unique tracking device as both RFID reader and GPS technology is combined into a single device

36. Provide expert assistance anytime from anywhere

37. Know the repair status by login to the web portal

38. Restrict the movement of a school bus via Geo-fencing feature

39. Video surveillance with special hardware

40. Online payment system (available in Android and iOS platforms) for bus fares and cashless sales

41. No need of separate hardware for tracking

42. Drivers are able to get directions throughout the school bus trip

43. Drivers can view the image and contact details of students in the next destination

44. Obtain important announcements and messages via apps

45. While confirming the school bus route, it will be moved to the trip history

46. View the trip details whenever one desires

47. Provide peace of mind to parents and school transportation authorities

48. Parents can view the route via map feature

49. Ability to download report in the formats such as doc, PDF, or whatever format as per the user's preference

50. Assign roles for users such as transport managers, parents, point of sales personnel, teachers, etc.

51. School bus attendance marked via facial recognition of students

52. Route optimization feature enables the driver and school transportation authorities to choose the most efficient route for the trip

53. Gather information for preparing reports and with the import feature, data entry process becomes easy

54. On a single screen, transport managers can view the vehicle details, trip details, and tracking details

55. Historical vehicle movement can be tracked via advanced playback system

56. Control the movement speed and can be moved forward or backwards

57. Create routes and trip based on seating capacity, pick up point density, etc.

58. Based on the unplanned trip auto routing feature, the system will eventually collect the trip details, route details, etc. once the vehicle gets started. Thereby, convert unplanned trip to scheduled trip

59. With the trip merger feature, school authorities can merge multiple shifts to a single one

60. Students can use ID for the purpose of purchase. Parents can recharge the payment cards online (Cashless system)

61. Parents get instant notification once the children purchase from the canteen or stores

62. Ability to choose the best hardware as per the customers' requirements

63. Separate apps for school bus attendant, transport managers, parents, and drivers

64. No need to install a separate app for siblings

65. Less complication in updating the new pick up point

66. Students can apply leave via the app without contacting school management or school bus driver

67. Drivers as well as school authorities can have a good rapport with each other

68. Instant trip management

69. Provide birthday announcements instantly

70. Usage of cloud messaging service for apps

71. Generate various MIS reports

72. Application accessed via the web as well as smart phone

73. Know the real-time status of a school bus (parked, moving, etc.)

74. Scheduled route can be viewed by parents and they realise whenever there is a change in the usual routes

75. Recentre facility enables the user to update the exact pick up point and drop location of students

76. Using the manifest feature, pick up details, route diagram showing pickup location, the students who are present on the school bus, etc. can be recognized

77. Stay vigilant and take appropriate decision for improving student safety

78. Obtain live-cam feed of students inside the school bus

79. User-friendly apps, and easy customization

80. Adaptation of the latest technology

81. Efficient billing and invoice management

82. New users can be created by administrators

83. Speed limits can be updated beforehand

84. Able to establish a long term relationship with the clients

85. Have skilled and experienced developers

86. Constant implementation of quality control techniques

87. Drivers are able to possess multi-tasking capability

88. Recognise unsafe driving instantly

89. Play important announcement via bus audio system

90. Sort the driver shortage by efficiently managing them via apps

91. Historical data feature have the list of completed trips, resigned drivers, instant trips, completed scheduled trips

92. Details from the system can be utilized for safe driver ranking

93. Facility to choose the type of notifications that is to be received and the language for notification

94. Import data either via direct entry or through API integration

95. Store SIM card details and retrieve it whenever necessary

96. Modify logo and has full freedom to manage their own accounts

97. The trip will be marked complete only when all the students get off the school bus

98. Students who are on leave will be notified via the application

99. Less distraction and drivers can monitor students without even leaving their cabin

100. Able to choose the shortest trip from the app

101. Time-saving, convenient and safe transportation

How to Manage Bad Behaviour on the School Bus

Posted on December 13, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

Student behavior is onerous to manage and will risk the lives of other school bus passengers. However, the responsibility of school bus safety is in the hands of drivers. Henceforth, they should be able to curb that undesirable behavior on the school bus.

Let's have a glimpse of the issues of unacceptable behavior in detail:

How Coarse Behavior Affect the School Bus Safety?

Of course, school bus drivers have an immense responsibility towards the safety of students. Hence, students should not be permitted to play, clamor, or pace once the school bus is mobile.

Why?

This will distract drivers and cause accidents or injuries to students and other road users.

As a responsible school bus driver, you should be able to maintain proper discipline among students and thereby reduce the accident risk. Consequently, you can memorize the following safety points:

Heed the school bus driving and aware of the oncoming dangers on the road
Remember, you will be the prime authority inside a school bus and hence maintain a proper school bus behavior among students

When an adverse circumstance occurs, consider the practice mentioned below:

Steer the bus to the roadside and stop if necessary. It is wise to proceed whenever an argument or scuffle is happening on the school bus. Presumably, it will result in adverse effects, such as devastation, injury, or even mortality
Stop the bus and provide rigid instructions to unruly students
If necessary, the driver can sternly construe safety quotations and affirm the outcome of coarse behavior on the school bus

Reinforcing the Rules of Conduct

By enforcing the safety procedure, you will be able to evade the unruly behavior of students. As a matter of fact, students should realize the relevance of rules and oblige it willingly.

Furthermore, students should be aware of the fact that rules are contrived for their own safety. As a driver, you can commit the following actions if you witness a student violating rules:

First and foremost, stop the school bus to the road side
Secondly, intercede promptly
Identify the rule-breaker and convince the fact that he/she threatened the safety of whole students in the school bus
Admonish the lawbreaker, which attributes warning to other students

Rapport with the School Management

As mentioned earlier, a school bus driver is the supreme authority on the school bus. But, you will never bear responsibility alone.

Meanwhile, there is a school management that supports your decisions and provides guidance to your trip. Creating a school bus safety team can be a brilliant notion.

For instance, the team comprises the school principal, counsellors, psychologists, teachers, teaching staffs, and coaches.

In fact, this team can regulate school bus safety predicaments and constitute reasonable decision for the school transportation services. Hence, the school bus drivers can seek the assistance of the safety team and thus control the school bus violation effectively.

Necessity of Early Intervention

Strangely enough, a majority of students become aggressive almost unexpectedly. Hence, whenever you spot a student with such a weird transformation, recognize, and resolve it hastily.

Here follows the procedures that can be attempted for settling the concerns mentioned above:

Communicate with the student and identify what’s bothering them. Nevertheless, realize the fact that children will never share their personal issues to an outsider
Have an acquaintance with the distressed student's close friends and recognize the dilemma
If you confirm or notices the hassle, report instantly to the relevant authority

Administrative Support for School Bus Drivers

It is wise to collaborate with the administrative team. No doubt, with the administrative support, you can provide punishment to students justly.

Whenever a particular student violates the rule, you can punish them according to the decision of the administrative team.

Hence, the other students realize the consequences of violating rules, whoever the student is, and consequently follow safety rules without further hesitation.

Installation of Video Surveillance Cameras on the School Bus

Authorities can install cameras on the school bus
Can be utilized as a tool in disciplinary meetings for students and circulate it as a training material for other drivers
Cameras provide an awareness regarding the essential safety rules and the way it is violated by the students
Students should recognize that cameras will provide sufficient evidence to those who violate the safety rules and cannot escape from its consequences
Footage displays the date and time by which violation took place and thus trapping the agitator completely

Planning Ahead to Prevent Future Problems

Treat students with care and respect in the bus and involve them in establishing guidelines in bus and to solve issues that happen in the bus.
Communicate with the driver regarding their concerns and ask the students directly to solve it.
Include students in discussions regarding safety guidelines, issues, bus driver responsibilities and invite brainstorming for solutions to each concern.

In conclusion, students should be taught that a school bus is the extension of the classroom. And henceforth, the proper school bus discipline should also be maintained accordingly.

Moreover, it is the responsibility of everyone to safeguard the students and the technology can provide an immense assistance to this concern.

School Bus Fleet Management Guide for the Transport Managers

Posted on December 6, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

“Safety first is safety always” – Charles M Hayes

School bus fleet management is essential since it has a key role in enhancing transportation efficiency and routing. But, how will you improve the fleet management? Why is it essential? Of course, you will have certain queries on school bus fleet management.

Lets' check out the solution regarding the fleet management of school buses:

School bus management solution

First and foremost, the school bus management solution is implemented in schools for ensuring the student safety. Wondering how it enhances student safety? With the support of modern technologies, you will obtain the real-time details regarding the students on a school bus. Nevertheless, it is one of the powerful transportation management tools, which provide information on routine operations of school transportation management.

Features:

Track the school bus location and manage pickups and drops efficiently
Oversee the school bus status, such as over speeding, sudden braking, vehicle engine on or off condition, AC on or off, fuel details, mileage details, etc.
Improve bus safety by regular monitoring, re-directing buses to alternative routes for avoiding hazards, creating Geo-fence, etc.
Manage expenses by lowering the fuel usage, monitor on-board engine diagnostics, automate driver time sheets, etc.
Generate MIS reports

Benefits:
Save time by avoiding long waits at the bus stop
Monitor the driver activities constantly
Optimize the school bus utilization
Handle emergency situations efficiently

What are the requirements of effective school bus fleet management?

You will be able to determine the success of transportation through cost management and benchmarking. No doubt, effective fleet management requires accuracy, organization, and operation efficiency. Meanwhile, by utilizing the school bus routing software, you will be able to accomplish routing efficiency with route optimization feature.

Moreover, with the assistance of a school bus GPS tracking software, you can examine whether drivers are able to fulfill their duties with minimal interruption or not. Hence, it is wise to install bus routing software and GPS tracking software for managing fleets efficiently.

Now, let's have a glimpse over the benefits of effective fleet management:

Efficient driver management

When drivers are provided with satisfactory work conditions, there is a chance for reducing significant employee turnover and, thereby, save significant expenses of the school management. Nevertheless, you can positively reinforce them by creating a feeling that what they commit is important (ferrying the precious cargo in the world), treating them impartially, attributing proper training to them, and ensuring that drivers are fully cognizant of real-time details.

Save fuel expenses

As far as school management is concerned, fuel costs is the dominant expenditure to consider. By utilizing the route optimization feature of a tracking software, you will be able to reduce fuel costs by choosing the most apt route for the school bus trip. Consequently, unnecessary wastage of fuel can be evaded.

Regular school bus maintenance

With the modern GPS trackers, you can conduct the school bus maintenance at the right time. At the same time, you will also be able to realize the mechanical requirements of the buses in your fleet promptly.

Ensure student safety

Of course, student safety is the prime concern of the school bus transportation. However, with the aid of a school bus tracking system, you will be able to track school bus, notify the estimated time of arrival, entry and exit time of students. Henceforth, you can ensure proper student safety.

As a matter of fact, effective school bus fleet management is not an impossible task , especially, with the modern technologies such as HD camera system, GPS trackers and bus routing software. Furthermore, by managing school bus fleets efficiently, students can relish a secure school bus transportation.

An Ultimate Guide to the School Bus Safety Rules

Posted on December 1, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

School bus safety rules ensures the safety and security of school bus students. Nevertheless, the parents will be concerned once they send their child to school bus unattended. Meanwhile, the school bus safety practices not only provide an assurance to parents, but also safeguard the kids from possible peril that encounters them in the absence of their parents.

Consider the following list of rules that assists you to ensure student safety inside a school bus:

Rules for Boarding the School Bus Safely

First and foremost, try to reach the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the arrival time of a school bus. Do not sprint towards the school bus
Wait at the predetermined stop in a secured place, away from the road side
Never stand in the danger zone of the school bus
Board only when the school bus stops completely. Ensure that school bus extend its stopping arms and the red lights are flashing
Cross the road only when the driver exhibits the apt signal
Utilize the handrail while boarding the school bus

Rules for Riding the School Bus Safely

Be seated, facing forward and don’t create commotion in a moving bus
Place bags and parcels under your seat or on the rack
Clear the bus aisle all times
Head, hands, and arms should be kept inside the school bus
Never attempt to propel items inside or outside the bus
Speak softly, don’t hoot or scream inside the bus and never engage in fights
Remain hushed while approaching the railway crossing
Participate in the school bus evacuation procedures
Never use abusive language inside the school bus
Do not carry hazardous objects in a school bus
Maintain cleanliness in a school bus, eating and drinking is not permitted on the bus
Respect the health of fellow passengers and school bus drivers, do not utilize allergic objects
Smoking is not allowed inside or near the school bus premises
Heed the instructions of school bus drivers

Rules for Descending the School Bus Safely

Remain seated until the school bus stops completely
Remember to hold the handrail while descending the school bus
Walk at least 10 steps away from the school bus and cross the road only when the apt signal is given by the drivers
Cross and proceed only after confirming that both ways are clear
Don’t rush while descending the school bus, the people in front leave first
Never pick the dropped items without the permission of a school bus driver

Aware of the Danger Zone

Aware of the 10 giant step rule, where the children will be able to recognize the danger zone around the school bus, especially while crossing in front of the bus
Before entering the danger zone, seek the driver’s permission
Interpret that a child is within the danger zone, if he or she is able to touch the school bus
Always remember the fact that if the driver can’t see the bus driver, you will also be not seen by them
Ensure that you have driver’s attention while crossing the road
Never play around or near the school bus transportation

Bus Stop Safety Tips

Reach the designated bus stop 8-10 minutes prior to school bus arrival time
Stand at least 10 feet away from the curb and form a queue away from the street
Ensure that the school bus has stopped completely and driver thumbs up, indicating that it’s all right to board the school bus
If there is a need to cross the street in front of the school bus, follow this procedure vigilantly- walk on the sidewalk, maintain a giant 10 feet distance, and assure that the driver can see you properly
Avoid unfortunate falls by holding the handrails tightly. Be cautious of your belongings or clothes, having straps or drawstrings, as there is a chance to become trapped in the sharp edges of school buses
Never walk and run behind or towards the school bus
Seek the permission of driver before picking a dropped item near the school bus

Bus Routing Details

School bus students should wait only on the designated bus stops, never modify it without the permission of relevant authorities. Moreover, ensure that you procure a written permit for altering your current bus stop or route.

Role of Parents

Ascertain the relevance of your role in ensuring the safety of your child

Convince the importance of safety rules to your child and compel them to follow the essential safety rules
Assist them in arranging their objects in their backpack and never delay them
Insist them not to drop objects near a school bus or while riding a school bus
Initiate a decent rapport with the school bus drivers and obtain the contact details of school transportation authorities
Check the updates in the parent app routinely

Essential Requirements of School Bus Drivers

Aware of the legal requirements for becoming a school bus driver- ensure that the driver obtain 20-40 hours of specialized training, cleared written exams, and road tests
Inspect the driving records and subject to medical examination
Complete certified driver improvement courses, receive a general awareness on general traffic laws, and safety procedures
Commit the periodic inspection that provide an awareness to drivers regarding the board requirements

Furthermore, all the above rules are established for solving the safety and security concern of school bus students (FYI – the rules will be updated every year based on the specification, and hence stay for further updates).